Our invention is particularly useful in forming a barrier, either in the form of a corral for animals, such as cattle, or in the form of a line fence, and may support wires, such as barbed wires, or a chain link fence. Our invention is also adapted for the purpose of supporting signs or highway markers.
Insofar as is presently known, metal fence posts, usually of Tee cross-section, have previously been driven into the ground in spaced relation and the strung wire to form the fence was tied to each post by a short piece of tie wire that was twisted around the post and the strung wire. When cattle pushed against a post or against the strung wire, the twisted wire would loosen and in time the tie connection would become so loose as to permit the strung wire to gradually move downward until it no longer formed an effective corral. This prior type of connection was also unreliable in hilly country, where certain posts were on a hill and connected by the strung wire to posts at lower elevations. The tautness of the strung wire between such posts exerted a force to pull the strung wire downwardly on the post on the hill, and the wires in many cases could not prevent this undesirable action. In case of signs or highway markers, they were usually attached to a single post by screws or nuts and bolts, which required tools and time to install. In contrast, any striking instrument, such as a hammer, is only needed to drive a staple in sign-holding position.
Our invention also eliminates the need for tie wires of the prior art and provides a fastening for the strung wire that overcomes the disadvantages above mentioned. In summary, our invention utilizes a metal post that is of Vee cross-section, and a staple, the staple legs being driven into the Vee of the post to firmly grip with the post surfaces defining the opening into the Vee. Welds may be made on each post to insure uniformity of the size of the Vee opening, and to prevent the Vee from opening by forces exerted by the cattle, or the driving force used in seating the staples.